“Nakakapanghinayang kasi ang dami-dami nating biniling MMR vaccines, tapos 6 percent lang ang naibigay? Hindi pa umabot ng at least 10 percent [It is such a waste because we bought so many MMR vaccines and only 6 percent was used? We did not even hit 10 percent],” he said during a meeting with city health officials.

Moreover, Health Undersecretary Janet Garin told local health officials that some provinces achieved only up to 85 percent immunization coverage during the agency’s mass vaccination program for children last year.

Also, she said that in some areas, only 45 percent of booster shots were distributed.

The official admitted that such immunization record “is very alarming.”

Children can be vaccinated for free in barangay health centers, but DOH officials said that despite the availability of vaccines, some parents failed to bring their children for their needed vaccination shots.

DOH officials said that in 2013, 21 people died of measles, most of them children. Late last year, three deaths were reported—one each in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon and Muntinlupa.

The number of measles cases in Metro Manila jumped to 1,568 last year.

Most patients came from the cities of Las Piñas, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Quezon, Pasay, Taguig, Manila, Caloocan, Parañaque, Makati and Valenzuela.

The recent measles outbreak is a set back to the country’s target of zero measles in the whole country by 2017, which would mean that for every one million Filipinos, there would be only one laboratory-confirmed case of measles.

Aggressive campaign
Tayag on Tuesday urged mothers to bring their children aged nine months to 15 months to the nearest health center for measles vaccination.

He directed local health centers to hold daily vaccinations instead of the usual Wednesday schedule. He said an aggressive vaccination campaign is the only way to stop the outbreak.

“Measles is highly contagious. Babies nine months old must be given the first dose. Those one-year-old and above must get their second dose,” Tayag said as he rushed to the San Lazaro Hospital where more than 200 measles patients are confined.

Tayag, also the head of the National Epidemiology Center, said house-to-house vaccinations in these areas is needed. Even those areas with low coverage will be included in the door-to-door measles vaccination.

“The DOH is embarking on a massive measles vaccination drive in the metropolis to stop the outbreak with the agency setting up meetings with the local government units [LGU] and civil society groups to plan a systematic measles vaccination drive,” Dr. Anthony Leachon, vice president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said.

Asked what could have triggered the outbreak in the metropolis, Tayag said they are looking at the possibility that those coming from outside the National Capital Region could have spread the measles.

The exodus of measles patients to the San Lazaro Hospital started in October.

“The population is mobile. They did not have vaccination in areas where they came from. So, they are susceptible to getting measles,” he said.

Tayag, however, clarified that the health department is not blaming those coming from the provinces, including the typhoon-ravaged areas,.

Kindly verify. Most government officials like legislators who want to make money make a killing in buying medicines that are about to expire which will entitle them to huge rebates that go to as high as 90% to 95% from the suppliers. After they close the deal, they have the items delivered to the barangays for immediate distribution where if the receiving officials are quite slow, these medicines will expire and others left to rot. This is the kalakaran sa Kongreso especially.Could this be that the same thing happened to the vaccines? This scheme can also be applied in relief goods/foods. Some officials make money in buying canned goods that are about to expire and in exchange enjoy big rebates from the suppliers. I got this information from impeachable sources and very feasible scheme indeed.

Does this mean that the Undersecretary of DOH, Ms. Janet Garin who says that only 85% of the children achieved immunization against measles, and that the Assistant Secretary of DOH Mr. Eric Tayag who expresses his frustration over the very low vaccination coverage, who both of whom holding the highest positions in the DOH have NO MANAGEMENT SKILLS and that they don’t even know their duties and responsibilities in going after their subordinates who are equally incompetent or inept in implementing their jobs but just look-busy-do-nothing in their place of work? This is very STRANGE about putting people in positions to safeguard the health of the future leaders of our country. This is the kind of situation we have now in our country for encouraging our people to leave our country in search of employments in other countries leaving behind unskilled people instead of making use of their talents in our own country. This incumbent administration is doing all its best to uplift the miseries of our people but those who are supposed to provide supports are unskilled people; yes the kind of people left behind who look-busy-do-nothing in their place of work.